1. Field of the Invention
The present invention generally relates to online testing. More specifically, the present invention concerns administering and proctoring of a secure online exam which includes one or more practical examination tasks.
2. Description of Related Art
Examinations are used to determine the ability of an exam taker such as a student or prospective practitioner as it pertains to proficiency in a particular subject or skill set. For example, a student might take an exam to determine whether the student possesses requisite knowledge in a particular subject that might be related to receiving a degree or certificate. A prospective practitioner of law or medicine similarly might sit for an examination to determine their competence as it pertains to practicing in that profession.
Students or prospective practitioners have historically gathered at the designated locale for an examination on a proscribed date and time. Examination materials are then handed out by a testing authority and the exam begins. During the allotted time, the exam takers read questions and provide answers on a provided answer sheet or in a ‘blue book.’ Throughout the course of examination, a teacher or proctor keeps careful watch over the exam takers to ensure that no instances of cheating are taking place. While a single proctor may be able to observe a small group of exam takers, such observation becomes more difficult for a larger exam taking pool or for a group of exam takers utilizing laptop computers or other computing devices.
The increased popularity of distance learning has also complicated proctoring of examinations. The distance learning instructional model delivers education material and information to students who are not physically ‘on site’ at an education facility. Distance learning provides access to learning opportunities when the source of the information and the student are separated by time or distance if not both. Thousands of distance learners may be involved in a particular distance learning program or course at any given time.
Distance learning is no different than any other educational program in that there is a need to verify the qualifications of students through examination. Because distance learners are not collectively gathered at a physical learning institution such as a university, the distance learning program often requires that the students attend an examination center—which defeats a purpose of distance learning—or administers an examination online. An online examination is difficult to proctor as an exam taker could be taking an examination in one window of a web browser while looking up answers in another window via the Internet. An exam taker could also utilize a ‘chat’ or ‘messaging’ application to relay questions to and receive answers from a knowledgeable third-party. The value of online examinations is, therefore, questionable and calls into question the overall value of the corresponding class or degree program.
It can also be difficult to accurately evaluate an exam taker's knowledge or skill level in a particular subject through the use of an online examination. Specifically, due to ease of administration and relative objectivity, an online examination is typically implemented in a question-and-answer format using true/false questions, multiple-choice questions, and/or short-answer fill-in-the-blank questions. However, a question-and-answer format may not accurately indicate deficiencies in the exam taker's knowledge or skill level. For example, these exams may not indicate whether the exam taker possesses the requisite knowledge in a particular subject, or just guessed adequately enough to provide a sufficient number of correct responses to meet requirements associated with the exam.
Furthermore, an online examination in a question-and-answer format can be inadequate in other respects, such as in determining how well the exam taker can apply their knowledge in a real-world environment. In particular, the accuracy of question-and-answer based assessment is limited when what is being tested will eventually require practical “hands-on” proficiency. For example, answering questions relating to or involving the use of a software application may be inadequate, when proper use of the software application is what is required to demonstrate competence. Similarly, answering questions relating to or involving the use of a physical device suffers the same drawback. In addition, the evaluation of some learning styles, such as hands-on learning, may not lend themselves to online testing utilizing a question-and-answer format, and instead require a practical based approach. These drawbacks thus limit the usefulness of distance learning with regard to certain subjects.
There is a need in the art for administering and proctoring of a secure online exam which includes one or more practical hands-on examination tasks.